Operating a terminal device in a communication system

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for operating a terminal device ( 10 ) of a communication system. The terminal device ( 10 ) comprises a capturing device ( 13, 14 ) for capturing media. The terminal device ( 10 ) is configured to transmit the captured media via a data communication connection ( 50 - 52 ) of the communication system. According to the method, a transmission quality of the data communication connection ( 50 - 52 ) is determined and a capturing quality of the capturing device ( 13, 14 ) is automatically set depending on the determined transmission quality.

1 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A method for operating a terminal device of a communication system, the terminal device comprising a capturing device for capturing media, wherein the terminal device is configured to transmit the captured media via a data communication connection of the communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
 determining a transmission quality of the data communication connection, and   automatically setting a capturing quality of the capturing device depending on the determined transmission quality.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the transmission quality comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 a bandwidth of the data communication connection,   a data rate of the data communication connection,   a bit error rate of the data communication connection,   a packet loss rate of the data communication connection,   a jitter of the data communication connection, and   a data round trip time of the data communication connection.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the capturing device comprises a camera, wherein setting the capturing quality of the camera comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 setting a pixel resolution of the camera,   setting a frame rate of the camera,   setting a color depth of the camera, and   setting a contrast of the camera.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the capturing device comprises at least one microphone, wherein setting the capturing quality of the microphone comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 setting a sampling rate of an audio signal provided by the at least one microphone,   setting a sampling accuracy of an audio signal provided by the at least one microphone, and   setting a number of audio channels to be used, wherein each audio channel is associated with one of the at least one microphone.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the media comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 audible information captured in an environment of the terminal device, and   visible information captured in an environment of the terminal device.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein transmitting the media comprises streaming the media via the data communication connection. 
     
     
         22 . A method for operating a terminal device of a communication system, the terminal device comprising a capturing device for capturing media and a media coding device for coding the captured media, wherein the terminal device is configured to transmit the coded media via a data communication connection of the communication system to a further terminal device of the communication system, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving from the further terminal device environmental information relating to an environmental condition in an environment of the further terminal de-vice, and   automatically setting a coding parameter of the media coding device de-pending on the received environmental information.   
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the step of receiving the environmental information comprises receiving the environmental information via a real time control protocol established between the terminal device and the further terminal device. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the environmental information comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 a background noise level at the further terminal device, and   a light intensity level at the further terminal device.   
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 22 , further comprising:
 automatically setting a capturing quality of the capturing device depending on the received environmental information.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the capturing device comprises a camera, wherein setting the capturing quality of the camera comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 setting a pixel resolution of the camera,   setting a frame rate of the camera,   setting a color depth of the camera, and   setting a contrast of the camera.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the capturing device comprises at least one microphone, wherein setting the capturing quality of the microphone comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 setting a sampling rate of an audio signal provided by the at least one microphone,   setting a sampling accuracy of an audio signal provided by the at least one microphone, and   setting a number of audio channels to be used, wherein each audio channel is associated with one of the at least one microphone.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein the media comprises at least one of a group consisting of:
 audible information captured in an environment of the terminal device, and   visible information captured in an environment of the terminal device.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 22 , wherein transmitting the media comprises streaming the media via the data communication connection. 
     
     
         30 . A terminal device for a communication system, comprising:
 a transceiver unit for establishing a data communication connection,   a capturing device for capturing media, and   a processing unit configured to transmit the captured media via the data communication connection, to determine a transmission quality of the data communication connection, and to automatically set a capturing quality of the capturing device depending on the determined transmission quality.   
     
     
         31 . The terminal device according to  claim 30 , wherein the terminal device comprises at least one device of a group consisting of a portable battery powered de-vice, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, and a navigation system. 
     
     
         32 . A terminal device for a communication system, comprising:
 a transceiver unit for establishing a data communication connection,   a capturing device for capturing media,   a media coding device for coding the captured media, and   a processing unit configured to transmit the coded media via the data communication connection to a further terminal device of the communication system, to receive from the further terminal device environmental information relating to an environmental condition in an environment of the further terminal device, and to automatically set a coding parameter of the media coding device (depending on the received environmental information.   
     
     
         33 . The terminal device according to  claim 32 , wherein the terminal device comprises at least one device of a group consisting of a portable battery powered de-vice, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, and a navigation system. 
     
     
         34 . A terminal device for a communication system, comprising:
 a transceiver unit for establishing a data communication connection,   a media playback device for playing back media,   a sensor for capturing environmental information relating to an environmental condition in an environment of the terminal device, and   a processing unit configured to receive media to be played back via the data communication connection, to play back the received media, to capture the environmental information with the sensor, and to transmit the environmental information via a real time control protocol to another terminal device of the communication system from which the media is received, for setting a coding parameter of a media coding device of the other terminal device depending on the environmental information.   
     
     
         35 . The terminal device according to  claim 34 , wherein the terminal device comprises at least one device of a group consisting of a portable battery powered de-vice, a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a notebook computer, and a navigation system.